Ignition-detector



R. H. CLIFTON.

IGNITION DETECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1919.

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R. H. CLIFTON.

IGNITION DETECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, I919.

1,358,707. Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

glwvawtoz Witness s I Gamma UNlTED STATES RAiY H. CLIFTON, OF STATE CENTER, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TQ IOWA, A CORPORATION OF IOWA.

ING COMPANY, OF DES MOINES,

PATENT OFF-ICE.

UNIVERSAL MANUFACTUR- IGNITION -DETEGTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented N 0V. 16, 1920.

To all w 7mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAY H. CLIFTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at State Center, in the county of Marshall and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ignition-Detectors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ignition detector or spark intensifier adapted to be easily installed by an unskilled person upon an automobile already in use and capable of being adjusted to produce a gap and spark of any desired length, the device being simple, compact and not likely to get out of order. The device in actual practice has been found to produce higher efliciency in the engine in that a better spark. is produced resulting in better ignition and less accumulation of carbon and other foreign substances in the cylinder.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction of spark detector, by means of which the device may be detached thereby rendering it impossible for an unauthorized. person to operate the vehicle. Another object of the invention lies in the fact that even though the spark plugs be injured by the breaking of the porcelain or other core of the spark plug, the spark plug will still produce eiiicient spark.

ith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement herein fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,:

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating the ignition detector in its applied relation to a motor vehicle, the hood over the engine being omitted.

F ig. 2 is a side elevation of the same omit ting the hood.

Fig. 3 is an elevation looking toward the front side of the dash.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the sup ports or hangers.

The improved ignition detector comprises as the main element thereof, a body of insulating material of strip like formation, said body being indicated at 1.

By reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the strip-like body 1 is provided at intervals in the length thereof with binding posts Qto which the spark plug wires are adapted to be attached in the usual way.

Secured to the upper side of the body 1 is a corresponding series of metallic spark gap terminals 3, the same being secured to the shank of the binding posts 2 as shown in the drawings. The metallic terminals 3 are in the form of pointed fingers as shown, the pointed ends thereof facing rearwardly and being arranged directly opposite and in close proximity to the terminals 4 of the coil unit, the latter being inclosed in a casing or housing 5 secured to the rear side of the dash as indicated in the drawing, and in accordance with the usual practice.

The bar 1 with the parts attached thereto as hereinabove described is supported in relation to the dash 6 of the vehicle by means of a plurality of hangers or studs 7 one of which is shown enlarged in Fig. 4:. Each hanger or support 7 is formed with a pointed and threaded screw like end 8 adapting the same to be screwed into the dash of the vehicle, the dash, as understood, being ordinarily composed of wood. The outer end portion of each support 7 isalso threaded as shown at 9 and has threaded thereon an inner stop nut 10 and an outer clamping nut 11, the nuts 10 and 11 being arranged at the inner and outer side of the body 1 and enabling said body to be adjusted toward and away from the dash for regulating the dis tance between the fingers 3 and the terminals 4i according to the gap desired and the space across which the spark must leap in reaching the spark plugs of the engine.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will now be seen that provision is made for adjusting the length of the gap to be traversed by the spark. Also if desired, the terminal fingers may be adjusted so as to leave no gap causing the ignition apparatus to operate in the same manner as it now operates without the improved device. By removing the clamping nuts 11, the body 1 with its attachment may be entirely removed from its connection with the dash thereby rendering it impossible by an unauthorized person to operate the vehicle in the absence of the owner thereof. The device is simple in construction, effective in use and may be readily applied to and removed from a vehicle by a comparatively unskilled person. A mere glance at the device will show whether or not current is being delivered to 1. An ignition detector adapted'to beinterposed between a plurality of coil units and the spark plugs of a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine, said detector 7 an automobile and the C011 terminals therecomprising aJstrip-like body of non-conducting material, blnding posts thereon to Whih the spark plug ires are adapted to be attached, a corresponding set of metal gap-forming fingers on said body arranged in spaced relation to each other correspond-v ng With the spaced relation of the terminals of the coil units, and electrically connected to said bmding posts, and threaded a supportsfor said body adapted to be fastened to the dash of a motor vehicle, and

stop nuts adjustable on said supports, and clamping nuts also adjustable on'said supports, said stop nuts and clamping nuts bearing against opposite faces of said body enabling the latter and its fingers to be adjusted toward and aWay from said coil unit terminals. 7 V V 2' In combination With the dash board of on, a strip of insulating material, means for adjustably supporting the same from the dash, a series of binding posts carried by said strip and adapted to reteive'the conduc tor leading to the spark plugs, a series of 'members connected to the strip by said posts,

said members having their points spaced from the terminals.

ln'testlmony whereof I aflix my slgnature.

RAY H, CLIFTON. 

